The Gift
by Sylavash
Summary: A gift only Mai can Give Naru, One Shot, Takes place sometime after Selfless Ghost


"Naru?" Mai knocked on her boss's door. No answer came and she knocked again. "Naru?"

"What is it Mai?" it was nearly three; a time Mai normally started asking to leave.

Mai opened the door and walked in. "Naru, can you help me with something? I know you are busy, but this will only take a few hours, but I want to try to show you something." Naru looked at Mai, she had been working with Lin for a while controlling different aspects of her abilities, but it seemed that had tapered off for the last couple weeks. He wondered what she could want. It was late enough that no one would be coming in for a case and everyone knew not to bother him around this time, he wanted to be alone.

"If it won't take too long, what is it that you need?"

Mai bit her lip nervously, Naru didn't like that sign. "I can't explain it actually, and I don't know if it will work, or if I will be able to do it again but I want to try if you will let me."

His eyes studied the girl, it must be important for her to try so hard, he simply nodded and stood. "Where are we going?"

"Not far, just to Lin's office, I need his help too." Naru instantly regretted his choice of agreeing but didn't back down. He followed his assistant to Lin's office. As he entered the Chinese man acknowledged him with a nod. Then grabbed a few pillows and sat them on the ground. He sat on one and Mai sat on another. Naru took a seat on the other and waited. She held her hand out to each man and they accepted. They sat in a small triad, each holding another's hand and knees nearly touching.

"I know neither of you know as much as you would like, and I will explain it more later, but I don't know if it will work, or how it will, and trying to explain will just fluster me more, so please trust me." Both men nodded at her. She took a deep breath and looked at Lin. "are you ready?"

"Yes," he pressed his lips into a thin line. Naru knew he did not approve of whatever Mai was going to do but was letting her try.

Mai turned to Naru. "we are going to start by going into a trance, once we are there I will pull us together, then the hard part starts, when you feel me please follow the pull." Naru nodded once, his interest piqued he did not realize Mai had learned to pull other people into her trances. Mai breathed deeply a few times and relaxed, allowing herself to go into a trance, the other two followed suit.

Mai concentrated willing her nerves to disappear, she felt around her. Beside her was the familiar aura of Lin, for a moment she ignored him and felt for the other presence. Naru. She felt him and carefully felt her way to him, his aura was strong powerful she reached out to it and gave a gentled tug hoping he would feel it. She felt his response but it was weak, slow. She lost the contact, but tried again, this time a stronger pull, less tentative. She felt his response, quicker, stronger. She pulled him to her, and then as though he had been there the whole time it was like he was standing next to her in her own trance.

"Do you sense Lin?" she nodded in the direction of his spirit. Naru nodded and reached out to it. "He is our anchor, feel his spirit and hold onto it but don't pull him in, just hold the connection."

Noll raised an eye brow, "Anchor?"

"You will understand if this works." She also reached to Lin and connected to him but just held the connection.

"This is where I need your help; I need you to give me a seed of your energy." She held her hand up flat towards him. He hesitated, "I know you don't know if I can handle it but I won't be holding onto it, nor will I return it to you. Please trust me." He reluctantly gave in placing his hand against hers. She nodded signaling she was ready; he barely gave her a small pulse of energy. Like a small shock of static.

"Yes like that, just a little more," Mai closed her eyes so as not to distract herself with the looks that she knew Naru was giving her. As soon as she felt the energy she let it go using it to pull her toward the other connection she felt. As she pulled that direction she felt her connection with Naru weaken. Opening her eyes, she intertwined her fingers with his.

"Don't let go, I don't know if Lin can pull us back if you do." she struck him with a look of determination that he dared not answer, only holding the connection. "Feed me more energy, I can handle It." he allowed it to flow more easily, not waiting as he used to for it to come back. Mai looked away from him and reached her hand out infront of her. Suddenly they watched as a hand appeared and reached out toward her. She grasped it and the figure formed around it. She heard Naru gasp as he saw what was coming. When the figure formed completely Mai let go of the two hands identical in every way.

"Gene?" Naru asked.

"Noll." This twin answered him with a smile. They grasped each other in a hug, so tight Mai wondered if they would ever let go. They released after a moment and Mai watched as Noll let his mask slip and tears filled his eyes, a smile flitted across his lips.

"Happy Birthday, you two, I know it is a day early but it was the best chance I had."

"The boys looked at her sharing similar smiles. Mai could note the differences. Noll was older, slightly taller, and his face had become more angular, and showed traces of a five clock shadow. Gene, was a teenager, young slim toned, his posture open and loose, not a care in the world.

"Mai, Thank you." Noll said the words that were simple but meant the most to Mai. The twins and Mai shared stories and joked around it felt like hours. They laughed, and then Mai felt it. A small tug. The outside world pulled on her.

"Naru…" she said softly pulling the attention of the two boys lost in conversation, "it's time."

"Hmm?" Naru looked at her quizzically for a moment, Gene stood and nodded.

"We can't stay here much longer."

"I see," he grasped his brother in a hug. Then Gene pulled Mai into a hug.

"Thank you," he whispered in her ear, before letting her go. She released him reluctantly. "Take care of her." He told his brother. Naru only nodded. Trying to remain composed one last goodbye.

Mai took his hand. "Do you feel Lin?"

Naru stared at her for a moment puzzled then stood a moment his mouth agape. "No… I let him go…" he was mentally kicking himself, how could he be so dumb?

Mai held her hand out to him. "That is why Lin is pulling more frantically now," she gave a sad smile to Gene, who seemed to have started fading away. "I need your strength, don't let go. She felt Lin's pull and let herself drift in that direction. "Toss me a seed of your energy." She felt it in her palm almost immediately and used its energy to pull herself back to Lin. She began feeling tired; she only hoped she could make it back safe. She tried to conserve her own energy and focused on just two connections, Naru and Lin. Naru followed her but she felt like she was dragging a grounded kite, dragging along the ground pulling her back. He didn't want to leave. He didn't have a strong connection in the real world. As she pulled them both toward Lin she worried she had made the wrong choice. She used her energy to move toward Lin's tug, the real world. She concentrated on Lin's pull hoping Naru would hold the connection between them. Suddenly she felt Naru not being dragged anymore, he too felt Lin, and moved toward him also, Mai began to relax, she felt her body, and she relaxed into it releasing her hold on Naru as she felt him also find his body.

Mai did not open her eyes, she waited. Knowing the world would swim and she would sway with it. She took a deep breath and readied herself. She opened her eyes. Infront of her sat Noll face turned away from Lin and herself. A small catch in his breathing revealed he was crying. She looked toward Lin who looked expectantly between the two of them hoping for an explanation. She wiped a tear from her eyes and stood, surprising herself as she succeeded in not falling flat.

"Thank you Lin, if you don't mind I will explain things tomorrow."

"Tomorrow is today, but I will take the explanation when given." Lin answered, Mai looked at him questioningly, it must have been longer then she had thought. She began walking out of the room and Lin followed her, leaving Naru alone with himself for a moment. "I take it you did it?" he asked confirming what he hoped.

Mai nodded taking a seat on the couch. "How long did it take?"

"Ten hours, after eight I lost Noll's connection and got worried."

Mai nodded, her lids getting heavier. "Sleep, I will take Noll home and comeback to take you when you are ready." Mai nodded, and nodded off to sleep.

Noll emerged not long after, recomposed he smiled at the girl asleep on the couch. He went into his office and came back with an afghan that Madoka had sent Noll as a gift at sometime or other, he laid it over her. He felt tired himself. He had allowed Mai to have quite a bit of energy.

"I'll take you home; you probably want to have tomorrow on your own?"

Noll nodded, looking reluctantly once again at the girl. She had given him the best gift anyone ever could. He followed Lin out of the office. Neither noticed that Mai's breathing had grown shallow, and her face grew pale. Lin dropped Noll off, changed and grabbed a few quick snacks before heading back to the office; it was nearly five am before he got back to the office. He entered quietly hoping not to disturb the girl. He walked past her quickly barely glancing at her but that glance caused him to stop.

* * *

><p>Something was wrong, she hadn't moved, turned or tossed in her sleep. He approached her and looked at her closely. His shiki buzzed anxiously. He placed a hand on her forehead and felt a fever. Kneeling close to here he barely saw her shallow breath. He moved his hand to her wrist and felt a slow, weak pulse. Instantly he flipped out his cell and called for an ambulance. He carefully pulled the girl onto the floor, opening her airway to make it easier to breath. She didn't notice. It felt like forever waiting for the ambulance. He called Noll's cell only to hear a buzz come from the office behind him, he cursed the oversight. Neither of them had a land line so it was impossible to contact him for now.<p>

The ambulance arrived and the paramedics rushed her into the ambulance and drove away. Lin followed on their heels to the hospital, while dialing Matsuzaki-san's number. Asking her to meet him at the hospital and that Mai needed her. She would come immediately. Lin would wait to call others until he knew something more.

After a few hours Mai had been hooked up to a ventilator and a heart monitor. She was stable, but the fever was high, 105.3 and the heart was weak. While Matsuzaki-san consulted with the doctors, Lin called Takigawa, John and Masako. They all would be there as soon as they could. Leaving Mai with the Miko Lin headed back to the apartment he shared with Noll hoping to still find the boy at home. When he arrived he found what he dreaded. No one. Noll as he did most birthdays had left on his own for the day; sometimes he would go for a day, sometimes for a week. Lin figured he went to where his brother was found. Maybe, he was sitting by the lake talking to the wind. But Lin did not know. He left a note on the door, circled by the office and left a note on the door saying closed and then a note for Naru on his desk. He then headed back to the hospital where the crew had gathered. Mai was held in the ICU, her fever had not broken and her vitals still weak.

He was left with a lack of explanation as to what had happened to give the others, but he explained the best he knew. "Mai wanted to do something special for Noll for his birthday. She asked for my help, I thought it would be a séance, although since Hara-san was unable to contact Gene in that way I doubted Mai would have any better luck. She asked me to be an anchor for her and Noll. Something I had done helping her learn to astral project, but she hadn't need my help for a month or so. I did my part, concentrated on a connection between myself and them. They went into a trance, and I waited, it is hard to tell time in a trance, but near the end I lost my connection with Noll, I couldn't feel him so I pulled on Mai, it was a sign we arranged, that she would come back if ever I pulled but I would not call unless it was necessary. It was almost two hours before Mai and Noll came out of the trance." Lin sighed, regretting not knowing exactly what was going to happen. "Mai stood and walked out of the room on her own after that. So I did not think anything was wrong. She was tired so I left her sleep on the couch while I took Noll home. When I came back…" he let the sentence fall, they knew the rest. He had his regrets and any of the group must be asking the same thing but none of them voiced them. Why didn't he pull them back sooner? Why did he leave her alone? Why did I let her do it at all?

* * *

><p>Mai drifted. Somehow, she was at peace, calm and relaxed. She wondered where she was. This was far from a dream and far from projecting. She wasn't visiting Gene. What had happened? She concentrated. Last thing she remembered was Naru, Naru's birthday. Ah… that was it. His birthday, she gave him the one thing no one else could. I wonder where he is now. This must be my form of 'a little anemic' if he asks that is all I will say. A little anemic. She chuckled, a little anemic. Somehow she continued to drift, but she did not worry about it.<p>

* * *

><p>("quotes" will be Oliver thinking or speaking. 'single' will be Gene.)<p>

Oliver sat on the bank of a lake. Not a lake, but the lake. It was the lake that a little over two years ago they had found Gene. The Bank a little over two years ago Mai had confessed to him. And at that same lake he had told her good bye, told all of them good bye. It was here he could still feel a ruminant of his brother. For the last two years he had come back here. Come back here on his birthday, on the anniversary of his brother's death and the anniversary of them finding him.

He had come back here again today.

'Good to see you bro.'

"Gene, another year passed without you."

'It's not so bad; you should change your wardrobe.' Gene brought up the common comment.

"Why?" for him there was no reason to change, half his heart was gone, but today it was half hearted answer. It was gone, but it wasn't like it had been, the pain was dulled.

'Idiot scientist' Oliver could have felt Gene stand and walked closer to the lake and fish for the perfect stone.

"Black is not so bad, it looks professional." He couldn't help but stand and follow his brothers would be actions.

'Idiot scientist' gene mumbled. Oliver's mind's eye saw him loose a stone over the lake. It skipped four times before sinking. This was gene's evasion tactic. When gene wanted to say something but thought he shouldn't he would do this. Move around and keep his body busy, to prevent from voicing his opinion.

"What is so important about my clothing?" Oliver asked. One of the few days he was able to be so close to his brother he didn't want to spend with Gene evading him.

'It isn't the clothing, it is the reasoning. You should know that.'

"Being professional is valid reason for my clothing choice."

'A valid reason for someone to where black but that is not your reason. We both know why you where black. Why you only where black and it doesn't matter if it was professional or not.' Gene turned to glare at his brother. 'I am sick and tired of you morning my death! I died, I was there it was horrible but I accept it and I make do with my afterlife. You should do the same with your life.'

"How can I move on? You were me, you were my heart."

'I was never you, nor were you me. We were close but we were far from inseparable. Heck, I went to Japan and you stayed in England. You did fine without me for eight weeks. Hardly knew the difference.'

"I got by but I knew, I thought, you were safe. We would be together again. You would come home in two weeks. It would be fine."

Gene turned and looked down into the lake. He concentrated and watched. What he could see and Oliver couldn't distracted him. When he finally turned back gene had lost track of the conversation.

'You know Mai is an incredible medium. She is the only one who could ever bring us together once again.' he held his hand out to his brother.

Oliver nodded, holding his hand up to where his brother was standing. "She is talented; I can't wait to try that again."

'I won't let her.' gene's voice turned hard and cold. Oliver studied his brother.

"Is something wrong?" gene paused; he looked back at the water.

'She is… a little anemic.' He paused turning him through another rock at the lake. It barely skipped once before sinking with a thud. He turned back to Oliver. 'That was her gift to us. A chance to say good bye. Our last good bye.' Oliver stared at him disbelieving. 'Don't worry, I will always be with you but it is time for you to move on. The world is passing you by.'

"You are all I have."

"Had," Gene corrected. "You don't have me anymore but you have so much more. Your team in Japan is the finest. They are loyal and trusting. You could have had her too."

"She is Lin's girl."

'She is now, but she was yours, waiting on you. Even after you came back she was waiting on you.' Gene paused. 'Did you know she turned down Lin the first time he asked? He waited another whole year, and slowly convinced her to give him a try.'

"He has always been persistent."

'They both care about you.'

Oliver nodded. They sat back on the grass by the lake. Oliver's thoughts drifted, and at some point he didn't notice gene leave.

* * *

><p>Lin held Mai's hand in her private room at the hospital. He had been there for the last 42 hours. Her fever was lower but breathing and heart were still weak. He tried his best to stay awake but his regrets let him drift back through the memories of teaching Mai to astral project and return to her body.<p>

"What am I doing?" Mai asked impatiently.

"Have you heard of the red string of fate?" Lin asked.

Mai looked at him and blushed slightly. "The invisible link between a person and their soul mate?"

Lin nodded. "Legend says that it ties the ring finger of the fated together." Mai nodded. "This is the same idea."

"We are going to create a red sting of fate?" Mai questioned confused.

Lin sighed.

"You want to see how far you can project right?" he asked. She nodded. "The farther you get from your body the harder it will be to find it, to come back especially when you are learning." She nodded again. He took out a bottle of ink and a brush. "If you right your name on my wrist and I write mine on yours it creates a temporary bond between us. Both of us being psychically trained allow this to bind us here and on other planes. When you practice astral projecting I will be here with your body. I will anchor you here so you can travel if you get lost you can see this bond and follow it back to me, and essentially your body. I am your anchor to this plane."

"So you keep me grounded here while I fly like a kite?"

Lin smirked; she repeated the same idea in a totally different analogy.

"Essentially, yes."

He gave her the brush and set the ink infront of her. "Try to gather a little spiritual energy, like when you chant, and write your name on my wrist." He held his arm out to her. She wrote her name on his wrist. He felt a bit of spiritual energy in the ink and waited while the ink dried on his wrist.

"Now I write my name on your wrist." She handed him the brush and held out her wrist. Crisp and clear he wrote his name on her wrist. "Did you feel that?" he asked. She nodded. "That means it worked. Try astral projecting, if you think about the connection you should be able to see it and come back to it. Try it, and see first, then you can test your limits some.

*end flash back*

Lin stared at his wrist absently, if only he had made the link more permanent. But he didn't know if Mai would have liked that. Ink was good for a day maybe two, but he had taught her that well over a year ago, she learned to hold the line herself. they had not renewed the link

* * *

><p>"Mai" Gene called.<p>

She looked up and saw him walking towards her. "Gene. I thought you would be with Oliver."

He gave her a soft smile. "I was, but you shouldn't be alone either."

"I don't mind, memories keep me from being lonely. Anyway I know that I have friends around me."

"Those friends are worried about you. Lin is sick worried about you."

Mai nodded. "I figured. I did not realize it would take this much out of me."

"You were pretty amazing you know that?" he grinned at her. "But I won't let you ever do that again."

"I had never seen Oliver so happy."

"It is a rare sight, but promise me, promise me you will never do that again?"

"Gene,"

"Promise me."

"Ok, I promise."

"Thank you Mai, I think it is time for you to go back."

"I don't know the way." Mai stated. Gene stared at her.

"What?"

"I can't find it. I tried going back to my body but it just…" how could you explain how you could lose your body.

Gene took her by the hand and they drifted together. "What about Lin?"

"Hmm? Lin?"

"Lin, he was your anchor, he is your anchor in life can you find him?"

Mai smiled. She held out her hand. "I can always find Lin." She saw the thin line around her finger and pulled it like a hair. They saw the thin thread extend out away from them.

"He will be by your side, just follow him." Mai pulled on it and followed. Slowly she felt the line pulling her. Although it felt like forever it might have been just a moment but soon she found Lin her anchor, his hand was entwined in hers. Carefully she slipped back into her body.

* * *

><p>Mai's heart evened out, her breathing became less ragged. Lin looked up, was it true or had he been right. Looking at the monitors he knew it was true. She watched Mai carefully. Her eyes fluttered.<p>

"Mai?" he whispered. She opened her eyes and looked at him.

"Thank you," she told him. His eyes questioned her. "For being my anchor in life." she gave him a soft smile. He smiled down at her and squeezed her hand. Her eyes drooped and fell back to sleep.

"I will always be your anchor, don't let go." He whispered to her sleeping form.

Gene sat down next to his brother on the bank. He missed these days with his brother. He sat their his eyes drifted over the rivers in the lake.

"You should learn to fish." Gene commented.

"Why would I want to do that?"

"you wouldn't look so weird sitting by the lake. They say it is relaxing."

"I do not need to torment wild animals to relax."

Gene chuckled. Always the same practical brother. "look over there." Gene pointed to the far edge of the lake. Noll followed the direction. He saw five kids playing in the lake. Three boys and two girls. The splashed each other and tried to catch frogs near the bank. "those kids just started school in the local elementary school. The one that used to be haunted. The oldest boy there had a sister who was on the fieldtrip and died."

Naru continued to watch the children play identifying the oldest. He stopped and looked away from the others. It took a moment before Naru realized he was staring at the old school building. The far away stare, a look of lonesomeness crossed the boys face.

"It has been seven years since she died, they were close, inseparable. He still remembers her, but has learned to live with her memory."

Oliver continued to watch. The boys friends noticed his far away stare and let him be for a few minutes, then they came over and they started playing again. the boy played again seeming to forget what he was staring off after.

* * *

><p>The next morning around 6 am Mai awoke and looked around her. she was in the hospital. Lin held her hand and was leaned onto the bed fast asleep. Bou-san and Ayako lay together in the recliner. Lin's shiki buzzed about the room. when they noticed she was a wake they hissed quietly and Lin awoke. "Mai?"<p>

"Koujo, I'm sorry I worried you."

"You came back, that's what mattered." He soothed brushing the bangs out of her eyes. His worry written on his face, Mai could read words he'd left unspoken. 'don't leave me again'

"I won't," she whispered. "I won't leave like that again. Never again."

He stood and kissed her forehead. "I love you Mai."

"Aishiteru Koujo."


End file.
